Examining the Antibacterial Efficacy of Aqueous Extracts of Chestnut Leaves and Catkins in a Variety of Wild and Cultivated Environments

Abstract

Chestnuts are highly valued for their nutritional and practical qualities in addition to their organoleptic qualities. Chestnut tree is extremely susceptible to pollutants, summer droughts, high soil moisture, and harsh frosts. Natural forests that are home to chestnuts can be found in Kurdistan region of Iraq. Hand-planted chestnuts are a common sight in several provinces around the country. It is possible to get medical benefit from chestnut leaves (Castanea sativa) and catkins. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that aqueous extracts of chestnut leaves and catkins have on seven different strains of bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Yersinia enterocolitica. This study selected three harvesting locations: Babulah, Argen, and Charbut. The samples collected from chestnut trees were dried and processed. Antimicrobial effects of the extracts were tested on various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Ciprofloxacin (5 μg) and ceftizoxime (30 μg) discs were used to compare the antibacterial properties of the extracts. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. According to the findings, the antibacterial qualities of chestnuts shifted depending on the environment in which they were grown. The catkins, but not the leaves, exhibited antibacterial activity. The leaves did not show any antibacterial activity. Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive, and antibiotics had greater antibacterial effects than extracts.

Keywords

• aqueous extract
• bacteriology
• chestnut
• castanea sativa
• irrigation
• natural forests